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Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons bounced back with a vengeance on Thursday night from his woeful Game 5 performance against the Toronto Raptors in their second-round playoff series.
Simmons had 21 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and zero turnovers in Philly's season-saving 112-101 win over Toronto in Game 6. The win knotted the series at three wins apiece. The sophomore point guard was one of the missing links in the Sixers' 125-89 blowout loss to the Raptors on Tuesday. He scored just seven points on three-of-five shooting from the field.
Shooting guard Jimmy Butler, who led the way for Philly with 25 points on Thursday, called out Ben Simmons prior to Game 6, according to the AP. The 21-year-old responded by pushing the pace at every opportunity, playing with force in the half court, and flying around defensively both as a primary and help defender.
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It's safe to say Butler's ploy worked. Simmons' performance was reminiscent of his versatile game during the regular season, when he averaged 16.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 7.7 assists per game. It came as no surprise he became an NBA All-Star in 2019.
The Raptors, meanwhile, were led by Kawhi Leonard, who had 29 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists. Pascal Siakam added 21 points on 8-of-16 shooting, but no other player for Toronto scored more than 13 points. Nick Nurse's struggled from the outside all night long, combining to shoot 9-of-36 from beyond the arc despite a steady diet of open looks.
Philadelphia needs Ben Simmons to bring his A-game against Toronto in their do-or-die Game 7 on Sunday. Expect both squads to hold nothing back. After all, a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks awaits the winner.
